The New York Mets have been busy this offseason. They’ve landed a few pitchers in free agency and of course were able to reel in the biggest fish in the pond when they signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract.
However, New York may not be done just yet. They could always use a little more help in the outfield. The starting outfield is mostly set, but they could use a backup outfielder.
According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, while the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be hot on outfielder Alex Verdugo, the Mets cannot be counted out of the sweepstakes.
“Pirates are indeed hot after Alex Verdugo and are a team to watch there, as Robert Murray reported,” Cotillo tweeted. “Other teams like Mets, Jays involved too.”
Verdugo, 28, spent the 2024 season with the New York Yankees after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox. His numbers with the Bronx Bombers left a lot to be desired.
Verdugo slashed .233/.291/.356 with 13 home runs, 61 RBI and an underwhelming .647 OPS. Still, the Mets could use some help on the bench, as well as a fourth outfielder.
The 28-year-old can play all three outfield positions and when he’s right, can provide power from the left side of the plate. He spent the first three seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before being traded to Boston and later joining the Yankees.
The outfielder’s best season came in 2021 with Boston when he hit .289 with 13 home runs.
This could be a decent, frugal move the Mets could make to fill a need for their 2025 roster. It will be interesting to see if they have more moves coming in the next few weeks.
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